City up Milner bid - reports

Manchester City are believed to have made a £20million bid for Aston Villa and England midfielder James Milner.

Press Association Sport understands that City have tabled the bid with Villa for the England international, who is currently in Austria preparing for the forthcoming World Cup.

Milner has just enjoyed a successful season in a central midfield role and was recently crowned the PFA Young Player of the Year.

The 24 year-old is currently halfway through the four-year contract he signed when joining Villa for £12million from Newcastle in the summer of 2008.

England coach Fabio Capello recently said that Milner was "the future" of English football and Milner has made rapid strides under Villa boss Martin O'Neill.

Manchester United and Chelsea have also been linked with the player who first burst to prominence as a 16-year-old with Leeds.

His big upturn in fortunes coincided with O'Neill deciding to switch Milner from a wide role into the middle of the park midway through last season.

It was an inspired move with Milner helping Villa reach the final of the Carling Cup, the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the top six of the Barclays Premier League.

Villa would be keen to hold on to Milner and owner Randy Lerner stated only last week that he was hopeful of the player remaining at Villa. But there is no doubt he has become one of the hottest young properties in English football and his value could soar even higher if he has a successful World Cup.

Villa would not want to lose another star player to City after the £12million departure of Gareth Barry to Eastlands last summer.